US Cities Where Salaries Go Furthest: 2018

Money isn't everything. Local markets with the highest adjusted salaries tend to have higher unemployment and weaker future job prospects.

That tempting big salary might not be all it seems. That’s because places where pay is high tend to be more expensive. Jobs offer a premium in the Bay Area, Boston, Washington and New York. But those extra dollars go right back out to pay for higher rents and pricier meals. Adjusted for living costs, salaries are highest not in the big coastal metros, but in less attention-getting locales like Brownsville, TX, Kingsport, TN, and Huntington, WV.

But before you reserve that one-way U-Haul to take you to Kingsport, know this: places where adjusted salaries are higher often serve up other challenges. They tend to have higher unemployment today and are projected to have slower job growth. If you want it all — high adjusted salaries, low unemployment today and good future prospects — look instead at Duluth, MN, Wilmington, NC, and Lubbock, TX.

And let’s be realistic. You might not want to trek across the country, far from family, friends or weather you love, to a place where jobs in your field are scarce. That’s fine. You can probably move somewhere not too far away with a similar mix of jobs and boost your standard of living at the same time — for example, by relocating from Tampa to Birmingham or from San Diego to Sacramento. Most places have relatively close-by sister cities where adjusted salaries are at least a bit higher.

Where adjusted salaries are highest

Before adjusting for cost of living, America’s highest salaries are in metro San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley. To see this, we calculated the average salary for all Indeed job postings between July 2017 and June 2018 that included information on annual salaries, accounting for differences in the local job mix. For the same occupations, salaries are on average 19% higher in San Francisco than in San Antonio and 18% higher in Boston than in Cleveland.

But San Antonio and Cleveland are cheaper than San Francisco and Boston. Housing costs less, as do other goods and services. Adjusted for living costs, salaries are actually 11% higher in San Antonio than in San Francisco and 5% higher in Cleveland than in Boston.

Among the 185 US metropolitan areas with at least 250,000 people, salaries adjusted for living costs are highest in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA, and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH. Of the top 10, only Birmingham-Hoover has more than a million people. Larger metros have higher unadjusted salaries, but much higher living costs than smaller metros. As a result, adjusted salaries tend to be higher in smaller metros.The million-plus metros with the highest adjusted salaries are Birmingham-Hoover, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Memphis and San Antonio.

Metros with highest adjusted salaries

Annual salaries in job postings (Indeed), adjusted by cost of living (BEA)

Metro

Adjusted salary, $

Unadjusted salary, $

Brownsville-Harlingen, TX

80,880

67,778

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA

80,061

68,132

Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

79,028

67,964

Merced, CA

78,983

74,323

Spartanburg, SC

78,121

68,512

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

76,833

66,614

Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS

76,386

68,136

Toledo, OH

76,375

67,745

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

76,142

67,614

South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

75,942

67,361

Duluth, MN-WI

75,910

68,547

Lynchburg, VA

75,871

68,132

Fayetteville, NC

75,786

68,132

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

75,712

67,989

Montgomery, AL

75,670

67,422

Rockford, IL

75,476

67,853

Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC

74,977

66,205

El Paso, TX

74,462

66,048

Wichita, KS

74,375

67,086

Green Bay, WI

74,363

67,745

Fort Smith, AR-OK

74,357

62,906

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

74,035

66,335

Flint, MI

73,878

66,786

Mobile, AL

73,817

64,516

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA

73,816

68,132

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

73,675

62,256

Killeen-Temple, TX

73,604

67,421

Jackson, MS

73,566

66,283

Modesto, CA

73,469

71,853

Corpus Christi, TX

73,327

68,487

Binghamton, NY

73,218

70,217

Amarillo, TX

73,107

67,989

Dayton, OH

73,020

65,718

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

72,974

65,385

Salisbury, MD-DE

72,859

65,063

Lexington-Fayette, KY

72,786

66,453

Bakersfield, CA

72,775

70,374

Erie, PA

72,731

67,421

Shreveport-Bossier City, LA

72,689

65,347

Winston-Salem, NC

72,650

64,659

Cedar Rapids, IA

72,611

64,841

Visalia-Porterville, CA

72,580

68,516

Knoxville, TN

72,537

64,195

Huntsville, AL

72,530

64,841

Wilmington, NC

72,392

67,614

Roanoke, VA

72,344

65,326

Lubbock, TX

72,340

67,421

Columbia, SC

72,259

66,333

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

72,176

65,103

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

72,175

65,679

Akron, OH

72,046

64,841

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

72,022

67,989

Clarksville, TN-KY

71,944

65,037

Fort Wayne, IN

71,922

64,658

Lansing-East Lansing, MI

71,753

66,731

Utica-Rome, NY

71,721

67,202

St. Louis, MO-IL

71,681

65,086

Fresno, CA

71,654

69,003

Springfield, MO

71,647

62,906

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

71,553

72,984

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

71,437

66,293

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

71,288

67,866

Ocala, FL

71,231

64,250

Reading, PA

71,222

68,516

Salinas, CA

71,183

76,949

Greensboro-High Point, NC

70,972

63,733

Lafayette, LA

70,958

62,940

Tulsa, OK

70,908

64,313

Laredo, TX

70,906

63,177

Chattanooga, TN-GA

70,902

63,316

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

70,786

64,061

Columbus, GA-AL

70,747

63,177

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

70,724

67,612

Evansville, IN-KY

70,668

63,177

Albuquerque, NM

70,601

67,989

Salem, OR

70,589

67,695

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO

70,589

63,177

Peoria, IL

70,504

64,018

Springfield, MA

70,415

68,584

Baton Rouge, LA

70,263

65,345

Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

70,243

64,061

Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA

70,233

61,454

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

70,200

67,322

Kennewick-Richland, WA

70,171

68,136

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

70,095

66,731

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

70,041

63,177

Gainesville, FL

69,993

66,004

Columbus, OH

69,960

65,063

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

69,895

65,352

Asheville, NC

69,803

64,637

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

69,640

68,108

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

69,621

67,045

Waco, TX

69,521

63,681

Boise City, ID

69,465

65,853

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

69,425

63,177

Canton-Massillon, OH

69,361

61,454

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

69,290

64,717

Oklahoma City, OK

69,240

63,424

Reno, NV

69,222

68,322

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

69,188

65,867

Ogden-Clearfield, UT

69,136

65,748

Stockton-Lodi, CA

69,112

68,836

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

68,923

65,064

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

68,886

76,532

Richmond, VA

68,737

66,056

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

68,718

68,512

Worcester, MA-CT

68,699

71,173

Norwich-New London, CT

68,696

69,383

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

68,695

64,230

Rochester, NY

68,490

67,121

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

68,374

69,400

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

68,264

65,943

Raleigh, NC

68,165

65,371

Portland-South Portland, ME

68,120

69,278

York-Hanover, PA

68,102

65,718

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

68,079

64,947

Savannah, GA

68,022

63,669

Lincoln, NE

68,006

62,906

Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL

67,960

62,727

Kansas City, MO-KS

67,663

63,400

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

67,581

64,810

Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV

67,408

67,745

Austin-Round Rock, TX

67,361

67,361

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

67,287

67,421

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

67,285

62,508

Lancaster, PA

67,180

66,777

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

67,180

68,322

Manchester-Nashua, NH

66,897

72,584

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

66,804

69,343

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

66,774

84,870

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

66,772

63,033

Ann Arbor, MI

66,753

67,954

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

66,600

66,866

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

66,580

67,112

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

66,378

67,440

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA

66,296

71,003

Pittsburgh, PA

66,286

62,508

Provo-Orem, UT

66,179

64,061

Salt Lake City, UT

66,145

65,748

Jacksonville, FL

66,118

63,341

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

66,104

67,625

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

66,083

64,167

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL

65,982

63,079

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

65,832

68,136

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

65,796

62,178

Tallahassee, FL

65,726

61,125

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

65,542

64,165

Syracuse, NY

65,421

63,262

Eugene, OR

65,379

63,941

Tucson, AZ

65,249

62,508

Madison, WI

65,236

63,736

Colorado Springs, CO

65,234

64,973

Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL

65,093

65,679

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

64,873

80,896

Greeley, CO

64,367

63,852

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

64,216

70,959

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

64,190

62,906

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

64,141

67,989

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

64,093

67,874

Bremerton-Silverdale, WA

64,034

68,132

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

63,935

70,008

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

63,910

68,512

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

63,795

68,516

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

63,637

61,219

Port St. Lucie, FL

63,543

61,446

New Haven-Milford, CT

63,417

70,647

Fort Collins, CO

63,233

64,434

Anchorage, AK

63,036

68,836

Trenton, NJ

62,354

69,400

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

62,184

62,060

Boulder, CO

61,851

67,356

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

61,847

72,794

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

61,720

73,509

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA

61,628

72,474

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

61,624

74,011

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

61,294

60,681

Olympia-Tumwater, WA

61,251

65,478

Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC

61,104

55,666

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

60,830

70,745

Santa Rosa, CA

60,691

73,436

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

60,043

73,252

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

59,412

63,928

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

59,184

69,363

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

58,328

72,794

Urban Honolulu, HI

53,642

66,731

Adjusted salaries are lowest in Honolulu, Santa Cruz, CA, Oxnard, CA, Miami and New York. It’s no coincidence that these are all desirable spots for weather, recreation or lifestyle. Many people are willing to give up some income or pay more for housing to live in places with such amenities. In fact, classical urban economics models interpret low adjusted salaries as an indicator of high local quality of life. That’s something to consider before moving someplace where adjusted salaries are high, but amenities are fewer.

Not just money: higher salaries and opportunities today and tomorrow

Even if you’re only considering economic factors when choosing a new hometown, don’t stop at adjusted salaries. Unless you’ve already got a secure job in hand, you should consider the ease of finding a job today and the odds of having one in the future.

Strikingly, places with high adjusted salaries fare poorly both in terms of job prospects today and tomorrow. First, local unemployment rates tend to be higher in metros with higher adjusted salaries. In June 2018, unemployment was more than 8% in Merced and nearly 7% in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — well above the 4.2% national rate without seasonal adjustment.

Second, projected job growth is lower in metros with higher adjusted salaries. Among the top 10 metros for adjusted salaries, projected job growth based on local occupation mix is particularly low in Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA, Spartanburg, SC, and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. Projected job growth is highest in large coastal metros, which tend to be expensive and have lower adjusted salaries.

So let’s take another look at the top metros for adjusted salaries, excluding those that are worse than average for either current unemployment or projected job growth. None of the overall top 10 make the cut. The top 10 metros for adjusted salaries with better-than-average unemployment today and future growth prospects comprise an entirely different list. Duluth, MN-WI, Wilmington, NC, and Lubbock, TX, offer the highest cost-adjusted pay as well as good job opportunities today and tomorrow. Several large metros are also on this list.

Much as we love top 10 lists, we know that your number one might not be my number one. For instance, St. Louis may have high adjusted salaries, low unemployment and strong future growth, but it has relatively few job postings for economists — and I’m not looking to make a career change. And Duluth might be a tough sell for someone used to mild California winters.

Still, there’s often another local market out there with higher adjusted salaries and a similar job mix that’s not too far away. To flesh that out, we looked for the biggest differences in adjusted salaries for pairs of metros that are less than 500 miles apart and have at least a 75%overlap in their mix of job postings. At the top: Birmingham’s adjusted salaries are 22% higher than Tampa’s, and Sacramento’s are 21% above Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura’s.

Biggest adjusted-salary gaps between pairs of nearby similar metros

Annual salaries by metro ( Indeed )

Higher Adusted Salary of the Pair

Lower adjusted salary of the pair

Difference in Adjusted Salaries

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

22.4%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

20.9%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

17.6%

Columbia, SC

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

16.2%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

15.7%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

15.5%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Jacksonville, FL

15.2%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

14.7%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

13.9%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

13.7%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Madison, WI

13.5%

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

12.6%

Fresno, CA

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

12.3%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

12.2%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

12.0%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

11.8%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Pittsburgh, PA

11.7%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

11.6%

Jacksonville, FL

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

11.3%

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

11.1%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

11.0%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

10.8%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

10.5%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

10.3%

Wichita, KS

Kansas City, MO-KS

9.9%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Madison, WI

9.9%

Brownsville-Harlingen, TX

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

9.8%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

9.7%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

9.5%

South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

9.4%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

9.4%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

9.4%

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

9.2%

Columbus, OH

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

9.2%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

9.1%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

8.9%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

8.9%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Pittsburgh, PA

8.9%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

8.7%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

8.7%

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

8.6%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

8.6%

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

8.5%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

8.5%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

8.4%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Madison, WI

8.4%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

New Haven-Milford, CT

8.4%

Worcester, MA-CT

New Haven-Milford, CT

8.3%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

8.3%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Rochester, NY

8.1%

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

8.0%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

8.0%

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

8.0%

Jacksonville, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

7.9%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

New Haven-Milford, CT

7.8%

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

7.8%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

7.8%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

7.8%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

7.6%

Richmond, VA

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

7.6%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

7.5%

Wichita, KS

Oklahoma City, OK

7.4%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

7.4%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Chattanooga, TN-GA

7.4%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Jacksonville, FL

7.3%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

7.3%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Greensboro-High Point, NC

7.3%

Richmond, VA

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

7.2%

Columbus, OH

Madison, WI

7.2%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

7.2%

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

Port St. Lucie, FL

7.1%

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

7.0%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

7.0%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

7.0%

Reading, PA

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

7.0%

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

Austin-Round Rock, TX

6.9%

Savannah, GA

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

6.9%

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

6.8%

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

6.7%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Pittsburgh, PA

6.7%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

6.7%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Kansas City, MO-KS

6.7%

Raleigh, NC

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

6.7%

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

6.6%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

6.6%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

6.6%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

6.6%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

6.5%

Raleigh, NC

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

6.4%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

6.3%

Jacksonville, FL

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

6.3%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

St. Louis, MO-IL

6.2%

Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

6.2%

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

6.1%

Toledo, OH

Akron, OH

6.0%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Kansas City, MO-KS

5.9%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

5.9%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Pittsburgh, PA

5.9%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

5.9%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

5.9%

Baton Rouge, LA

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

5.9%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Columbus, OH

5.8%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Jacksonville, FL

5.7%

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

5.6%

South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

Fort Wayne, IN

5.6%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Kansas City, MO-KS

5.6%

Columbus, OH

Pittsburgh, PA

5.5%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

5.5%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

5.5%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Pittsburgh, PA

5.4%

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

5.4%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Columbia, SC

5.4%

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

5.3%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Jacksonville, FL

5.3%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

5.3%

Columbia, SC

Richmond, VA

5.1%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

5.1%

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

5.1%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

5.1%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

5.1%

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

4.9%

Wichita, KS

Tulsa, OK

4.9%

Akron, OH

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

4.9%

Richmond, VA

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

4.9%

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

4.8%

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

4.8%

Tulsa, OK

Kansas City, MO-KS

4.8%

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

4.7%

Columbus, OH

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

4.7%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

4.7%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

4.7%

Rochester, NY

Syracuse, NY

4.7%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

4.7%

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

4.7%

Ocala, FL

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

4.6%

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

4.6%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Kansas City, MO-KS

4.5%

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

4.5%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Chattanooga, TN-GA

4.4%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

4.3%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Greensboro-High Point, NC

4.3%

Oklahoma City, OK

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

4.3%

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Jacksonville, FL

4.2%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Oklahoma City, OK

4.2%

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

4.2%

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

Oklahoma City, OK

4.0%

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

4.0%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

4.0%

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Pittsburgh, PA

4.0%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

4.0%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

4.0%

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

3.9%

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

3.9%

Jacksonville, FL

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

3.9%

Akron, OH

Canton-Massillon, OH

3.9%

Trenton, NJ

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

3.8%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL

3.8%

Akron, OH

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

3.8%

Kansas City, MO-KS

Madison, WI

3.7%

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

Boulder, CO

3.7%

Port St. Lucie, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

3.7%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

3.7%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Pittsburgh, PA

3.7%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

3.6%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

3.6%

Fort Wayne, IN

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

3.6%

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

3.5%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Oklahoma City, OK

3.5%

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA

3.5%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Jackson, MS

3.5%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

3.5%

Pittsburgh, PA

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

3.4%

Boise City, ID

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

3.4%

Columbia, SC

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

3.4%

Rochester, NY

Pittsburgh, PA

3.3%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

St. Louis, MO-IL

3.3%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

3.3%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Richmond, VA

3.3%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

3.2%

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

3.2%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

3.2%

Richmond, VA

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

3.2%

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

3.2%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Columbus, OH

3.2%

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

3.2%

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

3.2%

Salt Lake City, UT

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

3.1%

Jacksonville, FL

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

3.0%

Akron, OH

Columbus, OH

3.0%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

3.0%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

3.0%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

3.0%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

3.0%

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

2.9%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Chattanooga, TN-GA

2.9%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

2.9%

Oklahoma City, OK

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

2.9%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

2.9%

Chattanooga, TN-GA

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

2.9%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

2.8%

Rochester, NY

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

2.8%

Kansas City, MO-KS

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

2.8%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Greensboro-High Point, NC

2.8%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

2.8%

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

2.8%

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

2.8%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Akron, OH

2.8%

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

2.7%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Manchester-Nashua, NH

2.7%

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

2.6%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

2.6%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

2.6%

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Kansas City, MO-KS

2.6%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

2.6%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

2.6%

Rochester, NY

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

2.6%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Raleigh, NC

2.5%

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

2.5%

Springfield, MA

Worcester, MA-CT

2.5%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Rochester, NY

2.5%

Springfield, MA

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

2.5%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Columbus, OH

2.5%

Tulsa, OK

Oklahoma City, OK

2.4%

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

Kansas City, MO-KS

2.4%

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Madison, WI

2.4%

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

2.4%

Winston-Salem, NC

Greensboro-High Point, NC

2.4%

Kansas City, MO-KS

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

2.4%

Oklahoma City, OK

Kansas City, MO-KS

2.3%

Knoxville, TN

Chattanooga, TN-GA

2.3%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

Oklahoma City, OK

2.2%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

2.2%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Jacksonville, FL

2.2%

Lansing-East Lansing, MI

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

2.2%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

2.2%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

2.2%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Raleigh, NC

2.1%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Richmond, VA

2.1%

Chattanooga, TN-GA

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

2.1%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Columbus, OH

2.1%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

2.1%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA

2.1%

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

Syracuse, NY

2.1%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

2.1%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

1.9%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

1.9%

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Kansas City, MO-KS

1.9%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

1.9%

Columbus, OH

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

1.8%

Columbia, SC

Greensboro-High Point, NC

1.8%

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Syracuse, NY

1.8%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Chattanooga, TN-GA

1.8%

Columbus, OH

Richmond, VA

1.8%

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

1.7%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Richmond, VA

1.7%

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

1.7%

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

Tulsa, OK

1.6%

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

1.5%

Columbus, OH

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

1.5%

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Raleigh, NC

1.5%

Austin-Round Rock, TX

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

1.5%

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

1.5%

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

1.5%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

1.4%

York-Hanover, PA

Lancaster, PA

1.4%

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

1.4%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

1.4%

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Madison, WI

1.3%

Kansas City, MO-KS

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

1.3%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Richmond, VA

1.3%

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Tucson, AZ

1.3%

Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA

Canton-Massillon, OH

1.3%

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

1.2%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

1.1%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Columbus, OH

1.1%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Tulsa, OK

1.1%

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

New Haven-Milford, CT

1.1%

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

1.1%

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

1.1%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

1.0%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

1.0%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

1.0%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

1.0%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Columbia, SC

1.0%

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

0.9%

Akron, OH

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

0.9%

Richmond, VA

Raleigh, NC

0.8%

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Pittsburgh, PA

0.8%

Columbus, OH

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

0.8%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Chattanooga, TN-GA

0.8%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

0.7%

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

0.7%

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

0.7%

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

Pittsburgh, PA

0.7%

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

0.7%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

St. Louis, MO-IL

0.7%

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

St. Louis, MO-IL

0.7%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

0.7%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

0.7%

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Greensboro-High Point, NC

0.7%

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Montgomery, AL

0.6%

Kansas City, MO-KS

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

0.6%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

0.5%

Columbus, OH

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

0.5%

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

0.4%

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Columbus, OH

0.3%

St. Louis, MO-IL

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

0.3%

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

0.3%

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

0.3%

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

0.2%

Baton Rouge, LA

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

0.2%

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Akron, OH

0.2%

Tulsa, OK

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

0.2%

Fresno, CA

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

0.1%

Austin-Round Rock, TX

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

0.1%

Columbus, OH

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

0.1%

Salt Lake City, UT

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

0.1%

Provo-Orem, UT

Salt Lake City, UT

0.1%

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Worcester, MA-CT

0.0%

Worcester, MA-CT

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

0.0%

These are moves that get you a higher standard of living and similar job opportunities — all just a short flight or day’s drive away. Those adjusted-salary differences might sound small relative to the gap between extremes: Brownsville’s adjusted salaries are 51% higher than Honolulu’s, and Kingsport’s are 37% higher than those in Santa Cruz. But you’d need to move a long distance to a very different labor market — and hope to find a job that fits you — in order to claim that higher standard of living. All else equal, a higher adjusted salary is better than a lower one. But in job hunting — like so many other things — all else is never equal.

Methodology

Salary data are from all job postings with annual salaries on Indeed between July 2017 and June 2018. Unadjusted average salaries are based on weighted median deviations across occupations, which accounts for the different mix of job titles across metros in order to make an apples-to-apples comparison of unadjusted salaries.

All 185 U.S. metropolitan areas with at least 250,000 people are included in the rankings.

Distances between metros are great-circle distances between population-weighted metro centroids, which tend to be a bit shorter than actual driving distances.

Unadjusted and adjusted salary data in this blogpost should not be compared with salary data from last year’s blogpost on this topic. The occupational composition of job postings with annual salaries changes over time. Our methodology adjusts for differences in occupational composition across metros at a point in time, but not for differences in occupational composition over time.

The Indeed Hiring Lab is an international team of economists who provide insights that help drive the global labor market conversation.